The European adventure of Perugia, Monza and Milan begins: the Block Devils challenge Jihostroj Ceske Budejovice, Vero Volley hosts Olimpicos while Allianz takes to the field against Knack Roeselare
Everything is ready for a new season of European emotions: Sir Sicoma Monini Perugia, Mint Vero Volley Monza and Allianz Milano are in fact ready to take the field in the 2025 edition of the CEV Champions League, with the adventure of the three SuperLega Credem Banca teams which will begin between tomorrow and Thursday with the 4th Round, i.e. the group stage. All the CEV Champions League 2024 matches of the Italian teams will be broadcast exclusively co-live on Sky and DAZN.
Roberto Piazza’s Allianz Milano will be on stage tomorrow, Wednesday 13 November at 6.30 pm, taking to the field in front of their fans for the third time in a week, after the victories in the SuperLega against Cisterna and Grottazzolina. On the other side of the net the Belgian team Knack Roeselare. A team, that of West Flanders, which has experience to spare in Europe and in the Champions League. This year’s participation will in fact be the 23rd participation for the Belgian company, for the 36th time in Europe. In the recent past we remember it as an opponent in the Champions League group of Cucine Lube Civitanova (2022 season) and in 2023 only losing the CEV Cup to Bruno and Ngapeth’s Valsa Group Modena in the golden set, after having eliminated Piacenza in the Semifinal. Allianz Milano is included in group C together with the Knack, the Austrians of Hypo Tirol Innsbruck and the Polish squadron of Aluron CMC Warta Zawiercie, which starts among the favorites for the lead in the group. Allianz Milano remembers Zawiercie’s opponents well from their last experience in CEV, where they eliminated the Milanese team from the competition in the Play Offs preceding the Quarterfinals.
Angelo Lorenzetti’s Block Devils, fresh from the success against Taranto and included in Pool D, will take the field on Wednesday 13 December at the PalaBarton in Perugia, where at 8.30pm they will challenge the Czech team Jihostroj Ceske Budejovice. The reigning Italian Champions will face a team currently fourth in the local championship: the Czech club, coached by Zdenek Smejkal, managed to win their championship last season. Among the guests is Aleksandar Okolic, seen at work in the SuperLega with the Milan shirt in the 2019/20 season.
Instead, Massimo Eccheli’s Mint Vero Volley Monza will have to wait one more day, as they will make their debut on the European field by facing the Greeks Olympiacos at the Opiquad Arena: kick-off set for 8.00 pm, with the Brianza players included in Pool B. The Hellenic team can include among its ranks several old acquaintances from the Super League championship, such as Dragan Travica, Aleksandar Atanasijevic and Alen Pajenk. Expectations are sky-high for Monza, who after their extraordinary run in the SuperLega Credem Banca Play Offs last season have earned the chance to compete against some of the best teams on the European scene. In addition to Olympiacos Monza, included in Pool B, they will challenge the Turkish team Fenerbahce and the German team Giesen.
20 teams take part in the Pool Phase (18 seeded teams already qualified, including Milan, Monza and Perugia, divided into 5 Pools of 4 teams each. The 5 group winners advance to the quarter-finals (home and away), the 5 runners-up and the best third place will compete in the double round of 16 match, from which the last 3 participants will emerge in the Quarterfinals. At the end of this last phase the Final Four will be played.
CEV Champions League 2025
4th Round – 1st Leg
Pool C
Mercoledì 13 novembre 2024, ore 18.30
Allianz Milano – Knack Roeselare (BEL)
Arbitri: Bruno Muha, László Adler
Diretta DAZN
Telecronaca di Orazio Accomando
Diretta Sky
Telecronaca di Stefano Locatelli e Andrea Zorzi
Pool D
Mercoledì 13 novembre 2024, ore 20.30
Sir Sicoma Monini Perugia – Jihostroj Ceske Budejovice (CZE)
Arbitri: Ricardo Ferreria, Carlos Arberto Robles Garcia
Diretta DAZN
Telecronaca di Maria Pia Beltran
Diretta Sky
Telecronaca di Giovanni Cristiano e Francesca Piccinini
Pool B
Giovedì 14 novembre 2024, ore 20.00
Mint Vero Volley Monza – Olympiacos Piraeus (GRE)
Arbitri: Wojciech Maroszek, Dobromir Dobrev
Diretta DAZN
Telecronaca di Lorenzo Castiglia
Diretta Sky
Telecronaca di Stefano Locatelli e Andrea Zorzi
